WTN: Boston Pun Wars

[David M. Bueker]

Dinner last night with Thor & Theresa Iverson as well as Joe & Amy Perry. The pun war was in full swing for the first couple of hours until I drank enough that the puns stopped flowing as well.

I didn't write anything down, but many of the wines were quite memorable.

We started with two Champagnes, initially an older bottle of Pierre Peters NV that was on its last legs (it came from Thor & Theresa's wedding stash, and their 11th anniversary is next week). There was still a bit of life left, and it wasn't oxidative, just tired. A 1998 Pierre Peters was much more lively, rich and fresh though it was showing a deeper complexity as well.

Two Boxlers followed, the 2001 Boxler Pinot Blanc (L20B) and the 2005 Boxler Muscat Brand. The Pinot Blanc was served blind & reminded me of a Jura wine. It was rich and delicious. The Muscat had a most alluring aromatic quality, and was just as fascinating on the palate, where the playful Muscat fruit was layered on top of a very stony base.

The 2001 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese received the Laura seal of approval (she drained the bottle), and I really think it is at peak right now. The fruit and stone elements are just tinged with a little bit of smoky spice. Lovely wine.

Joe brought a Drouhin Meursault Perrieres for which I failed to catch the vintage (recent though). Good fruit, a little more oak than i like in my white wine, but well balanced if White Burg is your thing.

A 2000 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive was more to my style preference, and was surprisingly ready to go. Lots of Gewurz aromatics & not all that sweet, it complemented the food as well.

The reds got a little hazy, but the 1999 Ridge Geyserville is still on the upswing & good for now or later. 2005 Allemand Cornas Reynard is definitely a later wine, but the quality is very clear. It's big and will be great with time. 2002 Louis Jadot Savigny les Beaune Dominodes is just starting to open up, and within a couple of years it should be really hitting on all cylinders. We also had a 2001 Morgon that was getting beat up by being on the table with much bigger wines, a 1989 Loire Chenin (sec) that was beautiful but way too dry for later in the evening, and a South African "Port" that was a lot of fun in a grapey way.

Of course the best part was catching up with good friends.

Only one Trimbach, nothing from Spain, are you sure you were with the Iversons and Perrys? Is there nothing left in the world that one can count on anymore

[David M. Bueker]

Lou - fear the worst. I brought the Trimbach.

thanks for notes. I am always worried re where to open those Trimbach non-designated VTs. Sometimes they are sweet, sometimes offdry.

[David M. Bueker]

That was half the reason for opening this one. I have a bunch & no idea of how to use them. Now I know - they should be very flexible.

Sounds nice, although the notes are incomplete! Who was the Morgon? The Loire Chenin?

And were all six of you equally engaged in the Pun Wars?

Sounds like a fun evening, although I shudder to think how bad the puns might have gotten after a bit of alcohol.

That Kirschheck sounds awesome (but Kirschheck always does), and I really need to drink some Boxler soon after reading those notes - must look out for that Muscat Brand (I love anything from that vineyard).

[David M. Bueker]

Since I id not write anything down I do not recall the Chenin producer, but it was not one of the big guns as far as I recall.

I think the Morgon was Foillard Cote de Py.

Thor should have some notes on his blog in 4 or 5 years.

I think the Morgon was Foillard Cote de Py..

Sounds like that would be interesting (mainly because I haven't had an 8 year old Foillard) but I guess given what else you had on the table it wasn't that interesting.

[David M. Bueker]

It was interesting, but the Cornas just sort of blew it away.

the Cornas just sort of blew it away.

Allemand has a way of doing that!

[David M. Bueker]

Oh yeah...there was an orange wine in there as well from Paolo Bea. Very, very good. The aromatics remind me of Truchot, and that is high praise.

Oh yeah...there was an orange wine in there as well from Paolo Bea.

That seems to be going around these days. Beats H1N1...

Mark Lipton

[David M. Bueker]

And it went well with the swine.